Landlord sues ex-owner of Little Annie's

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Aspen Core Ventures LLC, which owns the East Hyman Avenue building that houses Little Annie’s Eating House, is suing the former Little Annie’s owner over unpaid rent and other costs associated with the restaurant’s abandonment last fall.

The suit was filed late Wednesday in Pitkin County District Court by Garfield and Hecht attorney Gregory S. Gordon. It does not state the amount of money allegedly owed to the building owner. It names Little Annie’s Restaurant LLC as the sole defendant.

Aspen Core Ventures LLC is a real estate company whose managing partner is Nikos Hecht, the son of Andrew Hecht, a primary shareholder in the firm that filed the suit.

The state Department of Revenue shut down Little Annie’s in mid-October over the owner’s alleged failure to pay sales taxes from April to August. Soon after the forced closure, the city of Aspen said it also was owed unpaid sales taxes from the restaurant.

With the help of Aspen Core Ventures, which purchased the restaurant’s assets at a state auction, employees of Little Annie’s reopened the popular eatery in time for the winter ski season. The former owner is not involved with the new operation, which has retained the same name.